As the government shifts to distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Knowledge Channel is ready to share its video lessons that could reach as many as 7.6 million students, a huge portion of the 27 million expected to enroll in this school year.
“Knowledge Channel is prepared to work with the government. Studies conducted by the DLSU La Sallian Institute for Development and Educational Research and the UP Statistical Center for Research Foundation’s Impact Study for Proficient Measures for Quality Education revealed that children who were taught using Knowledge Channel video lessons performed better in tests.
“The most essential learning competencies are the minimum curriculum-prescribed skills that students must acquire,” Calma said.
Calma stressed that the 21st century DepEd curriculum is about understanding and creating designs, systems, and processes, unlike in the past when students were just required to memorize.
“Subjects like mathematics and the sciences involve an understanding of processes, and they need to be visually illustrated for kids to understand,” he said, adding “with this kind of curriculum, we need TV.”
Calma said that Knowledge Channel’s multimedia resources also teach kids critical thinking. “Children’s critical thinking and creativity are triggered by video lessons because we challenge them with questions at the beginning, halfway through, and at the end of the episode,” Calma said.
Alice Panares, who sits on the board of the National Council for Children’s Television, said that the government is faced with the near-impossible task of training a 900,000-strong teaching workforce to teach students using media before the August opening of classes.
To address this problem, Panares suggested that Knowledge Channel be tapped at the very onset of the distance learning program.
“While the teachers are being trained, why not tap first the lessons of Knowledge Channel since it already has existing materials,” Panares said, adding that “Knowledge Channel has done a very complete work in educating the students in different areas.”
Panares said that Knowledge Channel is ready with the different subjects that are already in the form of TV lessons made for different grade levels.
